cooler

noun

cool·​er ˈkü-lər 

1

: one that cools: such as

a

: a container for cooling liquids

b

: refrigerator

2

: lockup, jail

especially : a cell for violent or unmanageable prisoners

3

: an iced drink usually with an alcoholic beverage as a base

Synonyms

• bastille
• big house [slang]
• bridewell
• brig
• calaboose
• can
• clink [slang]
• coop
• guardroom
• hock
• hold
• hoosegow
• jail
• jailhouse
• joint [slang]
• jug
• lockup
• nick [British slang]
• pen
• penitentiary
• pokey [slang]
• prison
• quod [British slang]
• slam
• slammer
• stir [slang]
• stockade
• tolbooth [Scottish]

Examples of cooler in a Sentence

The sodas are in the cooler.

plea-bargained to avoid spending time in the cooler

Recent Examples on the Web

This taco stand is a small walk-up eatery with just a kitchen, a register and a cooler with Mexican sodas and aguas frescas. —Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 May 2024

In addition, the larger front grille allows 50 percent more air to pass through additional power-train coolers, and the hot air is extracted via the carefully situated vents on the hood. —Angus MacKenzie, Robb Report, 12 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

cool entry 2 + -er entry 2

First Known Use

circa 1550, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing cooler

• cooler heads prevail
• the cooler
• wine cooler

Kids Definition

cooler

noun

cool·​er ˈkü-lər 

: a container for keeping food or drink cool